Surendran to meet Shah, Nadda; Modi unhappy with Kerala bribery issue

The BJP central leadership summoned party Kerala unit president K. Surendran to Delhi amid the recent election fund controversy.

Surendran, who arrived in the national capital on Tuesday night, will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda.

The meeting with Nadda is scheduled for 3pm on Wednesday. The issue had garnered national attention and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed displeasure.

The central leadership is also miffed over their names being dragged into the row.

A case was filed against Surendran for allegedly bribing a rival candidate to withdraw from the election. BSP candidate K. Sundara, who filed his nomination from Manjeswaram, was allegedly paid a bribe to withdraw from the April 6 Assembly election.

Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has taken over the bribery case, which will be probed by a special team led by DySP A. Satheesh.

More evidence?

More evidence has emerged against K. Surendran related to the allegation that he had given money to C.K. Janu to contest from Bathery as an NDA candidate.

Janadhipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP) state treasurer Praseeda Azheekode has released phone conversations with Surendran and private secretary P.A. Dipin.

According to the audio clip, Surendran and Dipin had arrived at room number 503 of the Horizon hotel in Thiruvananthapuram by 10am on March 7 and handed over the money to Janu. Right before arriving at the hotel, a call was made to Praseeda's phone from Surendran's mobile phone.

The secretary had called to find out the room number. Janu attended that call. Praseeda also released the conversation of them informing about their arrival at the hotel. Praseeda said that she went to Thiruvananthapuram along with Janu on March 6 after Surendran asked her to.

(This article was first published in onmanorama)